Filter Element For A Smoking Article

ABSTRACT

A filter element for a smoking article has one end for connection to a rod element of smokeable material and an opposite end for insertion into a mouth of a user. The filter element includes: one or more filter segments provided on or arranged along a longitudinal axis of the filter element, at least one of the filter segments including a filter material; a wrapper which surrounds and wraps the one or more filter segments; and a liquid-filled breakable capsule arranged within one of the one or more filter segments, the capsule having a rupture point at which the capsule is designed to break or rupture upon application of external force to release liquid contained therein. The capsule is arranged in the one filter segment with the rupture point located at a first distance along the longitudinal axis from the one end of the filter element.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/076694, filed Oct. 19, 2017, published in English, which claims priority to European Application No. 16195275.9 filed Oct. 24, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a filter element for a smoking article, such as a cigarette, cigarillo or the like, and to a smoking article which includes such a filter element.

Smoking articles, such as cigarettes, cigarillos or the like, are popular consumer products that typically have a generally cylindrical rod shaped configuration and include a charge, roll, or column of smokable material, such as shredded tobacco (e.g. in cut filler form), which is surrounded by a paper wrapper forming a so-called “tobacco rod”. A cigarette or cigarillo usually also has a cylindrical filter element aligned in end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod. The filter element may, for example, comprise a plug of cellulose acetate tow, and the tow is circumscribed by a wrapper material known as “plug wrap”. Typically, the filter element is attached to one end of the tobacco rod using a circumscribing wrapping material known as “tipping wrapper”. The filter element wrapped by the tipping wrapper is known as “mouthpiece element”.

In recent years there has been increasing consumer demand for smoking articles providing modified sensory attributes, and particularly for cigarettes incorporating filter elements, which may act as vehicles for adding flavour to mainstream smoke of the cigarettes. Specifically, these smoking articles have included flavour-altering substances in breakable pellets or capsules. During cigarette manufacture, the filter material is formed into a continuous filter rod having such pellets or capsules positioned within that rod; e.g., along a longitudinal axis thereof. The continuous filter rod is then divided or cut at predetermined intervals to form a plurality of filter elements, such that each filter element includes at least one of the capsules. The capsules are then manually broken by the consumer to release a substance into the filter material which acts to alter one or more characteristics of the mainstream smoke during smoking, such as flavour, taste, or TNCO levels (tar, nicotine, CO).

For this purpose, breakable capsules having a shell containing the substance to be released have been used. Most recently, such breakable capsules have started to focus on liquid release, especially water release. This can become problematic, however, as the released liquid tends to soak the filter element, including the filter wrapper and the tipping wrapper that joins the filter element to the tobacco rod, which can result in liquid leakage that will impact on the quality appearance of the smoking article.

The type of capsule used to release a liquid substance will also have an impact on the extent of the problem. Typically, breakable capsules have an isotropic resistance to break, which translates into an impossibility to determine the specific rupture location of the capsule, and, thus, the region of the filter element into which the contained substance is released. As a result, mitigating leakage is burdensome as the smoking article has to be designed considering liquid release in all possible directions.

To address this problem, water absorbent layers have been proposed in combination with water impermeable filter wrappers and tipping wrappers. These are costly, and add complexity to the manufacturing process. Another problem of this solution is that, to ensure water impermeability, the smoking article cannot be generally ventilated through the mouthpiece element, for example by providing perforations through the tipping wrapper that extend into the filter wrapper, as this would break the water impermeability barrier created by the wrappers. As a result, flavour, taste, and TNCO levels have to be adjusted at the tobacco rod, via blending of the smokeable material, and ventilation of the paper wrapper, which is more challenging as the tobacco rod is progressively consumed during smoking.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a smoking article with a liquid-filled capsule that mitigates liquid leakage through a ventilated mouthpiece element, as well as a filter element for use in such a smoking article.

In accordance with this invention, a smoking article is provided having the features as recited in claim 1, as well as a filter element with the features as recited in claim 11. Advantageous or preferred features of the invention are recited in the dependent claims.

Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention provides a smoking article having a rod element of smokeable material connected to a filter element by a tipping wrapper. The filter element has a first end for connection to the rod element of smokeable material, and an opposite, second end for insertion into a mouth of a user. The filter element comprises a liquid-filled directional capsule arranged between the first and second ends of the filter element, the directional capsule having a rupture region at which it is designed to rupture upon application of external pressure to release liquid contained therein. By providing the smoking article with a ventilation zone arranged between the first end of the filter element and the rupture region of the directional capsule, flavour, taste, and TNCO levels may be adjusted at the mouthpiece element by admitting air into the mainstream smoke flow through the filter element, while mitigating liquid leakage through it.

In this regard, the inventors have surprising ascertained that spacing the directional capsule, and particularly the rupture region of the directional capsule, further from the second end of the filter element than the ventilation zone results in a configuration which exhibits minimal or no leakage of liquid released from the directional capsule through the ventilation zone. Without wanting to be bound by theory, it is thought that the pressure exerted by the flow of the mainstream smoke and air on the liquid released from the directional capsule acts to trap and hold the liquid from egress in this configuration of the filter element.

It will be noted that the term “liquid-filled directional capsule” as used herein refers to a capsule containing a volume of liquid that is adapted to direct liquid release into a particular desired direction or towards a particular desired region. In particular, the rupture region of the capsule may be arranged to release the liquid in an axial direction, such as a longitudinal axis of the filter element, into an adjacent region of filter material, especially a fibrous filter material like cellulose acetate tow.

The directional capsule may be arranged in the filter element such that the rupture region is located closer to the first end of the filter element than to the second end of the filter element. As an alternative, the directional capsule may be arranged in the filter element with the rupture region located closer to the second end of the filter element than to the first end of the filter element.

The filter element may comprise more than one capsule, for example one or more directional capsules and one or more non-directional capsules. Where one or more directional capsules are provided, all of the directional capsules may be oriented in the same direction; alternatively, one or more directional capsules may be oriented in a first direction with their respective rupture point pointing towards the end for connection to the rod element of smokeable material, i.e. the first end of the filter element and one or more capsules may be oriented in a second direction with their respective rupture region pointing towards the end for insertion into the mouth of the user, i.e. the second end of the filter element.

The ventilation zone may be embodied as a plurality of perforations through the tipping wrapper. These perforations may extend into a portion of the filter element, such as a filter wrapper or a plug of filter tow. Alternatively, the filter element may be air permeable at least at a region underlying the perforations through the tipping wrapper.

The ventilation zone may also be embodied as a plurality of perforations extending into a portion of the filter element, such as a filter wrapper or a plug of filter tow. The tipping wrapper may be air permeable at least at a region overlying the perforations extending into a portion of the filter element.

The ventilation zone may additionally be embodied as an air permeable area in at least the tipping wrapper.

The distance between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the ventilation zone may be of at least 1 mm, for example of at least 2 mm. Such distance may be of at least 3 mm, and even of at least 4 mm. By providing this separation between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the ventilation zone it is possible to embody the ventilation zone as a plurality of perforations through the tipping wrapper and possibly also extending into a portion of the filter element during manufacturing of the smoking article without damaging the directional capsule.

The distance between the ventilation zone and the first end of the filter element may be of at least 1 mm, for example of at least 2 mm. Such distance may be of at least 3 mm, and even of at least 4 mm. By providing such a separation between the ventilation zone and the first end of the filter element the amount of liquid progressing into the filter end of the smokeable material may be adjusted. The closer the ventilation zone to the first filter end, the more quantity of liquid that progresses into the filter end of the rod element of smokeable material. This is indeed advantageous as it can serve to prolong shelf life of smoking articles in hot, dry climates where humidity from the smokeable material egresses into the ambient air, especially after first pack opening.

The directional capsule may comprise a shell that defines or surrounds a volume of liquid. The shell may comprise a weakened region in which the shell is configured to break preferentially upon application of an external force, for example, a compressive force. The weakened region may comprise one or more lines of weakness. Alternatively, the weakened region may comprise one or more stress concentrator elements. A combination of lines of weakness and stress concentrator elements would also be possible to form the weakened region.

The directional capsule may be elongate. Alternatively, the directional capsule may be substantially spherical, or ovoidal. The directional capsule may be a seamless shell. Alternatively, the directional capsule may be an open-ended shell, which is closed and sealed with a cap. The shell may have a side wall or lateral wall that extends from an end wall to an open end and thus surrounds or defines a cavity in the shell. The lateral wall may end in a rim at the open end to facilitate application of the cap. The lateral wall may be generally cylindrical or may be faceted. The side or lateral wall may taper or narrow from the open end towards the end wall.

The shell may be made from a resiliently deformable material, such as a polymer material. The cap is typically formed and cut from a section or an expanse of sheet material, such as a laminated plastic sheet material. The liquid in the capsule may comprise purified water or a water-based liquid which contains a dissolved or suspended substance, such as a flavouring substance.

The directional capsule may contain a volume of at least 0.05 ml, for example of at least 0.07 ml, or of at least 0.08 ml. By providing such volume of liquid, the quantity of liquid released with one compression is sufficient to produce a noticeable effect on the characteristics of the mainstream smoke.

The volume of liquid in the directional capsule may be no more than 0.15 ml, for example no more than 0.12 ml, or no more than 0.10 ml. By providing such volume of liquid, liquid leakage is mitigated further.

The filter element itself typically has a length in the range of about 5 mm to 40 mm, preferably in the range of about 15 mm to about 30 mm. The distance between the ventilation zone and the first end of the filter element may be of at least 7 mm, for example of at least 9 mm. This distance may be no more than 17 mm, for example no more than 15 mm.

The filter element according to this invention may comprise a single filter segment. Alternatively, the filter element may include a plurality of filter segments arranged in series along a longitudinal axis of the filter element. That is, it may be a multi-component filter element comprising two or more filter segments. The one or more filter segments may comprise any suitable known filter materials including, but not limited to, cellulose acetate, paper and combinations thereof. Thus, the filter element may have at least one segment comprised of a fibrous filtration material, and optionally multiple segments comprised of a fibrous filtration material, typically a cellulosic filtration material, such as cellulose acetate tow.

At least one filter segment may contain a particulate material, such as a sorbent or flavouring. The particulate material may be embedded in fibrous filtration material or contained in a cavity. The particulate material may be arranged between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the first end of the filter element, or between the second end of the filter element and the directional capsule. Selection will depend on the desired effect on the characteristics of the mainstream smoke through the filter element.

In an embodiment, the filter element may comprise fibrous filtration material arranged between the first end of the filter element and the rupture region of the directional capsule. The fibrous filtration material may extend at least 7 mm, for example 9 mm, between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the first end of the filter element. By providing this amount of fibrous filtration material immediately upstream of the directional capsule liquid leakage is mitigated and the effect of the released liquid on the characteristics of the mainstream smoke is prolonged in time.

The filter element may comprise a filter wrapper at least partly extending between the first and second filter ends. The filter wrapper may, for example, surround the directional capsule and/or any filtration material in the filter element. In an arrangement, the filter wrapper extends at least between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the first end of the filter element.

The inventors have ascertained that, by providing a filter wrapper that extends between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the first end of the filter element that has a basis weight of at least 40 g/m², for example of at least 45 g/m², liquid leakage is further mitigated. The basis weight may be of no more than 125 g/m² to ease manufacturing.

The inventors have also ascertained that, by providing a filter wrapper that extends between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the first end of the filter element that has a Cobb water absorption (ISO535:1991) value (at 60 seconds) of no more than 35 g/m², for example of no more than 31 g/m², liquid leakage is yet further mitigated.

In multi-component filter elements, a filter segment upstream of the rupture region of the directional capsule may be wrapped by a filter wrapper, referred to as a filter segment wrapper, and two or more filter segments or components may be combined together by another filter wrapper, referred to as combiner filter wrapper. In this case, the basis weight of the filter segment wrapper may be of no more than 50 g/m², for example no more than 40 g/m², such as about 27 g/m², whereas the basis weight of the combiner filter wrapper may be of at least 40 g/m², preferably, although not necessarily, of no more than 125 g/m². In such case, the combined basis weight of the filter wrappers may be of between 65 g/m² and 175 g/m². In this embodiment, both filter wrappers may have the Cobb water absorption values as defined above. The Cobb water absorption value of the combiner filter wrapper may be lower than that of the filter segment wrapper.

The filter wrapper or wrappers may have a low porosity. In particular, the filter wrappers may have a porosity of 6 CU or lower, for example of 5 CU or lower. The symbol “CU” herein designates the CORESTA air permeability unit that is commonly used in paper specifications by cigarette designers. The CORESTA air permeability unit is defined as: “the volumetric flow rate of air in cubic centimeters per minute (cm³ min⁻¹) passing through a 1 square centimeter (cm²) sample of substrate at an applied pressure difference of 1 kilo-Pascal (kPa).” The filter wrapper or wrappers may be non-porous.

Typically, the tipping wrapper is generally rectangular and is wrapped cylindrically around at least part of the rod element of smokeable material and at least part of the filter element. The tipping wrapper is wrapped around and thereby encompasses or envelops at least part of the filter element so that the tipping wrapper physically and mechanically attaches or connects the filter element to the rod element of smokeable material. In this way, the tipping wrapper will typically encompass or circumscribe the filter element and an adjacent end portion of the rod element of smokeable material. Thus, the portion of the rod element of smokeable material encompassed or circumscribed by the tipping wrapper is typically in the range of 1 mm to 16 mm in length, for example in the range of 2 mm to 12 mm in length. As used herein, the term “length” denotes the dimension in the axial or longitudinal direction of the smoking article.

In a preferred embodiment, the tipping wrapper includes a bonding region in which an adhesive is applied. That is, the tipping wrapper is typically bonded in a region in which the tipping wrapper overlaps with itself when wrapped around the filter element and at least part of the rod element of smokeable material. The bonding region is preferably elongate and extends in a longitudinal direction of the smoking article; for example, along an edge portion of the tipping wrapper.

In an embodiment, the bonding region in which the adhesive is applied extends over the whole surface of the tipping wrapper that is in contact with the filter element and the rod element. In other words, there is no glue-free zone at the inward side of the tipping wrapper. It has been found that, surprisingly, the adhesive acts as a barrier for fluids. In particular, a glue film may act as a water-barrier.

The tipping wrapper may have a Cobb water absorption (ISO535:1991) value (at 60 seconds) of no more than 25 g/m², for example of no more than 21 g/m². By providing such values, thick tipping wrappers, difficult to manufacture, and liquid-repellent coatings may be avoided.

The rod element of smokeable material in the smoking article of the invention may comprise any suitable tobacco cut filler. Preferably, the smoking article includes cigarette tobacco cut filler comprising types of tobacco such as Virginia, Burley, Oriental and Semi Oriental. The tobacco cut filler may comprise a blend of two or more different types of tobacco; e.g. of the above-mentioned types of tobacco. Alternatively, the tobacco cut filler may comprise a single one of the above-mentioned types of tobacco. The tobacco cut filler may comprise tobaccos that are, for example, air, sun or flue-cured. Alternatively or in addition, the tobacco cut filler may have undergone treatment, for example, to reduce tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA). Besides tobacco leaf, the tobacco cut filler may include other ingredients typically found in tobacco cut filler such as, for example, expanded tobacco, homogenized tobacco (e.g. reconstituted tobacco, cast tobacco, or extruded tobacco), tobacco stem (e.g. expanded or improved stem), tobacco fines, and any combinations thereof. Flavours and casings comprising one or more humectants, flavourants, sugars or combinations thereof may also be applied to the tobacco cut filler in a known manner.

Another aspect of the invention refers to a filter element having a first end for connection to a rod element of smokeable material and an opposite, second end for insertion into a mouth of a user. A liquid-filled directional capsule is arranged between the first and second ends of the filter element, the directional capsule having a rupture region at which it is designed to rupture upon application of external pressure to release liquid contained therein. By providing the filter element with a ventilation zone arranged between the first end of the filter element and the rupture region of the directional capsule, flavour, taste, and TNCO levels may be adjusted at the mouthpiece element by admitting air into the mainstream smoke flow through the filter element, while mitigating liquid leakage through it.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the invention and the advantages thereof, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a filter element for a smoking article according to a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a smoking article according to a preferred embodiment which includes the filter element of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating steps in a method of manufacturing a filter element according to a preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate particular embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as they become better understood with reference to the following detailed description.

It will be appreciated that common and well understood elements that may be useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are not necessarily depicted in order to facilitate a more abstracted view of the embodiments. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily illustrated to scale relative to each other. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps in an embodiment of a method may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrences while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used in the present specification have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study, except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

With reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 of the drawings, a filter element 1 for a smoking article 10, such as a cigarette, according to a preferred embodiment is illustrated schematically. The filter element 1 has a generally elongate cylindrical form and has a first end 2 for connection to a rod element 11 of smokeable material (i.e. a tobacco rod), and an opposite, second end 3 for insertion into a mouth of a user. The filter element 1 of this embodiment comprises three filter segments 4, 5, 6 arranged in series along a longitudinal axis X of the filter element. Two of these three filter segments 4, 5, 6—namely, the first and the third filter segments 4, 6—are comprised substantially entirely of a fibrous filtration material such as cellulose acetate tow. The second or central filter segment 5 is a cavity that comprises a liquid-filled directional capsule 7 located within it. Alternatively, the liquid-filled directional capsule 7 could be surrounded by filtration material such as cellulose acetate tow. The liquid-filled directional capsule 7 is configured with a weakened region that forms a rupture point P at which the directional capsule is designed to break or rupture upon application of a lateral external force F to release a liquid L contained therein. The directional capsule 7 is arranged with the rupture point P located generally on the longitudinal axis X in the filter element 1 such that, upon breaking or rupture of the directional capsule 7, the liquid L is released in the axial direction X into an adjacent region of cellulose acetate tow filtration material in the filter segment 6. In this way, when a user smoking the smoking article 10 in FIG. 2 draws on the mouth end 3 of the filter element 1, the released liquid L acts to impart a desired flavour to the mainstream smoke passing through the filter element 1.

The filter element 1 further includes a wrapper or “plug wrap” 8 of a sheet material, such as paper or a synthetic film, which surrounds and envelops or encompasses the filter segments 4, 5, 6 thereby unifying or uniting them within the filter element. The first and third filter segments 4, 6 may comprise a filter wrapper (not shown) so that, when combined to form the filter element 1 by the combiner filter wrapper 8, the fibrous filtration material in the first and third filter segments 4, 6 is surrounded by two filter wrappers, the filter segment wrapper and the combiner filter wrapper 8.

As a result of this multi-segment or multi-component filter configuration, liquid L released from the directional capsule 7 is directed towards an interface of the adjacent filter segment, the third filter segment 6, which increases the likelihood of liquid leakage, especially when the directional capsule 7 is located in a cavity filter segment 5, as some liquid may bounce off the interface of the adjacent filter segment 6 and go into the space between the filter wrapper 8 and the directional capsule 7. By providing a ventilation zone between the rupture point P of the directional capsule 7 and the first end 2 of the filter element 1, the filter element 1 may be ventilated through the filter element 1 while mitigating liquid leakage.

The filter wrapper or “plug wrap” 8 includes a series of holes or perforations 9 and these operate, in use, to admit air laterally into the filter element 1 to reduce or dilute mainstream smoke being drawn through the filter element 1 from the tobacco rod element 11. In other words, the series of holes or perforations 9 provide ventilation. The directional capsule 7 is arranged in the central filter segment 5 with its rupture point P located at a first distance D1 along the longitudinal axis X from the tobacco rod end 2 of the filter element 1. The holes or perforations 9 in the wrapper 8 are provided at a second distance D2 along the longitudinal axis X from the tobacco rod end 2 of the filter element 1. The first distance D1 in regard to the rupture point P is selected to be greater than the second distance D2 with regard to the holes or perforations 9 in the wrapper 8, preferably by an amount in the range of about 3 mm to about 5 mm, e.g. about 4 mm. The filter element 1 itself typically has a length in the range of about 15 mm to about 30 mm. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the holes or perforations 9 may partly extend into the fibrous filtration material of the third filter segment 6, and they may do so extending through the filter segment wrapper of the third filter segment 6.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the smoking article 10 (e.g. cigarette) comprises the filter element 1 aligned in end-to-end relationship with the tobacco rod 11. The tobacco rod end 2 of the filter element 1 is attached or joined to the adjacent end of the tobacco rod 11 using a circumscribing wrapping material known as a tipping sheet or “tipping wrapper” 12 which is wrapped around the filter element 1 and a part of the rod element of smokeable material. The part of the tobacco rod 11 encompassed or circumscribed by the strip or band of the tipping sheet 12 has a length which is usually in the range of about 5 mm to about 10 mm (i.e. in the longitudinal or axial direction). The tipping sheet 12 comprises a plurality of perforations 13 located at the second distance D2 from the first end 2 of the filter element 1. These holes or perforations 13 also act to admit air laterally into the filter element 1 to mix with and dilute the mainstream smoke. In this way, the holes or perforations 13 in the tipping sheet 12 are substantially aligned with the holes or perforations 9 in the filter wrapper 8.

Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a flow diagram is shown that illustrates schematically various steps in a method of manufacturing a filter element 1 for use in a smoking article 10, such as a cigarette or the like, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In this regard, the first box i of FIG. 3 represents the step of providing or arranging one or more filter segments 4, 5, 6 on or along a longitudinal axis X of the filter element, at least one of said one or more filter segments 4, 5, 6 including a filter material. The second box ii represents a step of arranging a liquid-filled breakable capsule 7 within one of the said one or more filter segments 4, 5, 6, the capsule 7 having a rupture point P at which the capsule 7 is designed to break or rupture upon application of external force F to release liquid L contained therein. In this regard, the rupture point P is located at a distance D1 along the longitudinal axis X from an end 2 of the filter element 1 to be positioned adjacent a tobacco rod 11. The third box iii then represents the step of surrounding or encompassing the said one or more filter segments 4, 5, 6 with a wrapper 8 of sheet material, known as “plug wrap”. The final box iv in FIG. 3 represents the step of configuring or arranging the wrapper 8 such that holes or perforations 9 provided therein are at a second distance D2 along the axis X from the end 2 of the filter element 1 to be positioned adjacent a tobacco rod 11, wherein the second distance D2 is less than the first distance D1.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

In this document, the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 filter element -   2 tobacco rod end -   3 mouth end -   4 filter segment -   5 filter segment -   6 filter segment -   7 capsule -   8 wrapper or plug wrap -   9 hole or perforation -   10 smoking article -   11 rod element of smokeable material or tobacco rod -   12 tipping paper -   13 hole or perforation -   P rupture point -   F lateral external force -   L liquid -   D1 first distance -   D2 second distance -   X longitudinal axis 

1. A smoking article, comprising a rod element of smokeable material connected to a filter element by a tipping wrapper, the filter element having a first end for connection to the rod element and an opposite, second end for insertion into a mouth of a user, the filter element comprising: a liquid-filled directional capsule arranged between the first and second ends of the filter element, the directional capsule having a rupture region at which the directional capsule is designed to break upon application of external force to release liquid contained therein, wherein the smoking article comprises a ventilation zone arranged between the first end of the filter element and the rupture region of the directional capsule.
 2. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation zone comprises a plurality of perforations provided through the tipping wrapper and/or extending into a portion of the filter element.
 3. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the ventilation zone is at least 1 mm.
 4. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the first end of the filter element and the ventilation zone is at least 1 mm.
 5. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the directional capsule contains a liquid volume of at least 0.05 ml.
 6. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the filter element further comprises a filter wrapper at least partly extending between the first and second ends of the filter element.
 7. The smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the basis weight of the filter wrapper (8) is of at least 40 g/m².
 8. The smoking article according to claim 6, wherein the Cobb water absorption of the filter wrapper is of no more than 35 g/m².
 9. The smoking article according to claim 1, wherein the Cobb water absorption of the tipping wrapper is of no more than 25 g/m².
 10. A filter element for a smoking article, the filter element having a first end for connection to a rod element of smokeable material and an opposite, second end for insertion into a mouth of a user, the filter element comprising: a liquid-filled directional capsule arranged between the first and second ends, the directional capsule having a rupture region at which the directional capsule is designed to break upon application of external force to release liquid contained therein, wherein the filter element comprises a ventilation zone arranged between the first end and the rupture region of the directional capsule.
 11. The filter element according to claim 10, wherein a distance between the rupture region of the directional capsule and the ventilation zone is at least 1 mm.
 12. The filter element according to claim 10, wherein a distance between the first end of the filter element and the ventilation zone is at least 1 mm.
 13. The filter element according to claim 10, wherein the directional capsule contains a liquid volume of at least 0.05 ml.
 14. The filter element according to claim 10, further comprising a filter wrapper at least partly extending between the first and second ends of the filter element.
 15. The filter element according to claim 14, wherein the Cobb water absorption of the filter wrapper is less than about 30 g/m². 